THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



263 



past month have been well rewarded. The ivy has also proved fairly pro- 

 ductive. Active operations have now almost concluded, and the usual win- 

 ter round of exhibitions, soiries, &c, are beginning here. The Highbury 

 Microscopical Society had a very successful gathering last week, and the 

 Haggerston Society hold their annual exhibition on November 12th. 

 London, 22nd October. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Notes on Variation in some Shetland Lepidoptera (continued). — 

 On page 15 of the current volume of the Young Naturalist, I said when the 

 perfect insects of D. conspersa and Hup. Venosata emerged " I might write 

 my observation thereon "J 9 They having appeared, I may now say that from 

 about twelve young conspersa larvse I have bred ten fine perfect specimens, 

 not one of which could be recognised as conspersa at first sight. They have 

 neither the dark or light colours or markings of conspersa ; they are all more 

 or less ochreous brown and yellow, some with rather lighter markings, two 

 are bright ochre yellow, without any light markings — in fact they are in 

 pairs so that placed five and five, no difference could be observed or choice 

 made between them. Mr. Curzon kindly gave me my pick of either five. I 

 have seen dark Scotch specimens, they are not at all like them. Map. 

 Fenosata, small dark smoky specimens, the usual beautiful reticulation of the 

 wing almost lost, dark, one and one. This concludes my observation on 

 " some Shetland Lepidoptera." If these remarks have tended to make our 

 young friends think for themselves rather than take all they read as gospel, 

 my object is attained. — C. S. Gregson. 



The Fulmar at Hartlepool. — Mr. James A. Mann of this town has 

 shown me a very fine specimen of the Fulmar Petrel he obtained on the 12th 

 October here. It was found on the beach, and though alive was nearly 

 buried with sand. He obtained a second specimen a few days later, which 

 was found in a ploughed field not far from the coast. Though both were 

 alive when taken, they were in but a sickly condition and evidently starving, 

 for when skinned there was not a vestige of fat to be seen. It is a very rare 

 visitor to this connty, only five specimens being previously recorded (see 

 Hancock's "Birds of Northumberland and Durham," p. 132), all of which 

 have been found on the coast either dead or in a sickly state. Those obtained 

 this season are both birds of the second year. During the gale that has pre- 

 vailed this month, several other not very common birds have been shot, or 



